Of any area in marine services, the electrical/rigging portion is the most commonly taken for granted. Many boats fall victim each year to faulty electrical systems and circuits. More often than you would think, these incidents are usually severe. Both boats pictured as “major refinishes” were burnt due to electrical issues. The Carrera 32’ was burned in a storage yard next to a travel trailer that burned down due to a fault with it’s battery charger. The Blue Fin 22’ burned directly from an owner-induced short while making improvements in the console. This boat (Bluefin 22) had no main fuse/braker on it’s console power wire. As evidenced in the picture,  it’s wiring harness was melted from the console to the battery switch. That wire even melted into the side of the battery where it laid (not properly secured). This wire also passed directly by the fuel tank. As you can see in the pictures, once the resin catches on fire, it will consume the whole boat quickly. The fire was even hot enough to melt the aluminum t-top!

Had this electrical deficiency been identified, the blame would be placed on the person/company responsible for the lack of a circuit fault device. That being said, take your electrical system VERY seriously. That birdsnest beneath your console or in your bilge is not only ugly, but it can be dangerous as well.

Here at Ultimate Offshore, we take it seriously. To the point of turning a job away if the customer will not agree to repair existing issues before adding electrical devices. The materials we use are the best available. And NO, the pre-heat shrink connectors are not the best, we do not use them. As you can see in the picture, when you crimp them you pierce the heat shrink in effect opening a void for corrosion to fill. They can be great for a field repair, but not as mainstay. All of our terminals are non-insulated, tinned copper. We use adhesive heavy-wall heat shrink over these. The adhesive does two things: it acts as a sealant, but also as a strain relief on the connection. We use proper color codes and striped wire, 3 ton crimps on battery cables, closed end main cable lugs, etc. In addition to quality materials, we keep it clean. Many customers of ours will have us clean up the wiring in their brand new boats. Just because it came from the factory that way doesn’t mean it’s right. And be careful of return trips to the dealer for items other than engine service. Most dealerships have inadequate staff for handling the simplest electrical job. “Yeah it works, but was it done right?” a question to ask yourself while you pay the bill. We take pride in our work, our experienced employees are not paid flat rate. It’s not typically good practice to hustle someone on such tasks. However, the cost is usually the same or cheaper.

We welcome you to browse through all of our pictures and feel free to ask questions. If you would like to have your boat checked out, call for an appointment. It doesn’t cost anything, and we are happy to cover the whole boat with you.